Anna Catherina boy dies in accident

A 12-year-old boy going home from school became the latest road fatality as he was hit by a bus and killed while crossing the Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara public road yesterday.

Dead is Amir Khan, a Form One student of the St. John’s Community High School located in the same community and of 41 Seaview, Anna Catherina. The incident occurred at just about 3 pm yesterday.

According to reports, the boy was crossing the road on the pedestrian crossing in full view of his classmates when he was hit by the bus and flung into the air. The bus had reportedly just pulled off after stopping. The schoolboy’s motionless body was left lying on the road and it appeared that he died on the spot. The police were informed and the body transported to the West Demerara Regional Hospital.

At his parents’ home yesterday, grief filled the air as relatives, neighbours and friends gathered to offer their support. Khan’s sister Shameeza told Stabroek News that she was at work when she got the message. She rushed to the spot but her brother’s body had already been transported to the hospital.

A tearful Bibi Fateha Khan, the boy’s mother recalled that her son had been very happy before leaving for school yesterday morning. The grief-stricken mother said that she got the news that her youngest son had died at just around 3:30 pm when his friends from school came to inform her of the incident. “When me get the message me couldn’t believe it, me ask the person, three, four time if they sure is Amir”, she stated.

Amir was described as “loving, quiet and very willing”. He leaves to mourn his five siblings, parents and other relatives.

His death comes just as the police have stepped up campaigns vowing to enforce the traffic laws. The driver of the bus is in police custody.